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Rashi explains that chamas, violence, refers to robbery, which had become rampant. Indeed, as Chazal note, the decree of ultimate destruction for that generation was the result of their blatant robbery. What was “unique” about their type of robbery that distinguished it to such an extent and effected their annihilation? The Ozhrover Rebbe z.l. explains that they derived no material benefit from the fruits of their theft. Their thievery always remained within the parameters of legitimacy, since they stole less than the value of a prutah, a coin designated as the minimum standard for theft. They stole for the specific…

The entire world had become corrupt and evil. Immorality had become a normative lifestyle. Yet, we find no indication that this rampant miscreancy was noticed by anyone other than Hashem. He observed the situation and responded accordingly. Why did anyone not challenge the reprehensible manner in which the people were acting? Rav Simcha Zisel M’Kelm responds that, specifically because everyone was obsessively involved in sin, their perspective of evil was distorted. One whose glasses are tinted blue will see blue wherever he looks.  Even if someone points out the folly of his ways to the sinner, he will not take…